The verb for “rescue” that Paul uses to describe the effect of Christ’s self-gift (Galatians 1:4) is the same word Jesus uses for plucking out eyes (Matthew 5:29; 18:9). It is an exodus term: Stephen uses it to describe Yahweh’s rescue of Joseph from his afflictions (Acts 7:10) and Yahweh’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt (Acts 7:34).
The apostles were regularly “plucked out” from danger. TThe Lord plucked Peter out of prison (Acts 12:11) and Paul from the mob that was trying to kill him (Acts 23:27). Jesus’ promise to Paul on the Damascus road was that He would “pluck” Paul from both Jews and Gentiles who sought to kill him (Acts 26:17).
When Paul uses the word in Galatians 1, it is not to be “spiritualized.” Through Jesus’ death, He literally made a way for Jews and Gentiles to be delivered from the age that was lurching toward destruction. Those who preach another gospel, and want to cling to the old order of circumcision and purity, are anathema , that is, cast back to the world that will be utterly destroyed.
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